Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. received an $800,000 project grant from the Institute of Food Production and Sustainability under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Program (CFDA 10.310), awarded February 1, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2029. The project addresses the critical agricultural challenge posed by root-knot nematodes, which cause billions of dollars in annual crop losses globally. The primary research deliverable involves determining the composition and assembly mechanism of the nematode feeding tube—a specialized structure essential to nematode survival and reproduction in plant roots—using immunohistochemistry, structural biology, protein interaction studies, and gene silencing techniques. The ultimate product is the identification of nematode proteins involved in feeding tube formation with the objective of translating this knowledge into novel genetic resistance mechanisms for commercial crop plants.

In addition to research outputs, the grant includes a significant public engagement component in partnership with the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. The project will deliver educational services and outreach programming targeting kindergarten through fifth-grade students through field trip experiences and summer camp activities. These activities emphasize hands-on learning and direct interaction with graduate and undergraduate student researchers to increase awareness among young students about soil-dwelling agricultural pests and their impact on food production systems. Performance of the award will occur at the University of Georgia's Athens, Georgia campus.